$25,000 reward offered in bank robbery case

Authorities are hoping a $25,000 reward will provide them with the identity of the three people involved in a local bank robbery earlier this week.

Tyler police spokesman Don Martin said the $25,000 reward has been offered for the identity, arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Austin Bank robbery that occurred on Tuesday at Shaw Street and Loop 323 in Tyler.

The robbers fled the bank in a gold Ford LTD, which was later recovered less than a mile from the bank.

Witnesses told police the bandits might have left the area where the car was found in a red Dodge Stratus and a gray Nissan Altima.

New video stills released by police from the bank revealed one of the robbers jumped onto the counter during the robbery.

Each person was clad in long-sleeve clothing with masks and hoodies or a baseball cap on their heads.

Martin said the men were armed with handguns, and all appeared to be black males.

Martin said the offer for the reward is only valid until Sept. 5.

“We haven’t had a robbery like this one in a while. Lately, ours have been a handing a note to the teller, not a run-in with-guns, visible type robbery,” he said.

Please call Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or the local F.B.I. office at 903-592-4301 with information.